Reggae / Dancehall

In a break from advertised programming, this month's column has the unfortunate duty of bearing sad news. Last time round I promised a rundown of the latest dancehall and one-drop riddims, a guest contribution, and excerpts from a recent interview with producer Frenchie of the Maximum Sound label. Sadly, recent events have made it difficult to concentrate on the present and future, and instead demand that we pay tribute to the past. In the space of three weeks two of the scene's most influential producers have passed away: Joe Gibbs on February 21, aged 65, from a heart attack, and Mikey Dread on March 15, aged just 54, from a brain tumor.

Regardless of the stylistic differences between these two men, they will be remembered for much more than the more than the groundbreaking records they coaxed and cajoled into life. In fact, both earned the right to be acknowledged as true pioneers whose work remains integral to reggae's place on the international stage. While many credit Bob Marley with bringing Jamaican music to a largely unsuspecting world, the story was never that simple. Without people like Gibbs, who almost single-handedly launched the rocksteady genre with Roy Shirley's "Hold Them" and then, in 1970, scored an early UK hit with Nicky Thomas's "Love of the Common People", and Dread, whose relationship with the Clash crystallised the very concept of the "Punky Reggae Party", the island's influence on worldwide pop music would be far less evident than it is today.

Bearing this in mind, it's good to know that their work is not solely the preserve of collectors and archivists, with Dread re-releasing much of his back catalogue over recent years, and several compilations of Gibbs productions scheduled for imminent release on VP's reissue imprint 17 North Parade. As underlined by the forthcoming Barrington Levy Collection (April 26), those wishing to check out this producer's finest moments should head straight for his work with engineer Errol Thompson.

Quickly becoming known as "The Mighty Two" this duo hit the top of the Jamaican charts more than 100 times. However, 1977 would bring their tour de force, with Culture's seminal album Two Sevens Clash. A poetic, strident and righteous mix of conscious lyrics, soaring harmonies and throbbing riddims, it remains a high water mark for roots music and has influenced generations of artists and musicians, from the Sex Pistols' Johnmy Rotten to present-day singers such as Alborosie and Jah Cure.

While Gibbs may be best known for vocal songs, including Althea & Donna's "Uptown Top Raking", Junior Byles' "Natty Dreadlocks", Wally & Snuffy's "Dreader Mafia", and "Eek-A-Mouse's "Virgin Girl" (these are just personal favorites, there are far too many examples to be definitive), his recently releleased African Dub series shows the Mighty Two as more than just hitmakers, standing up alongside the most captivating work by any dub producer of the period. For those new to his oeuvre, though, a number of anthologies exist, few better than Soul Jazz's Joe Gibbs Productions: Roots, Culture, DJs and the Birth of Dancehall. Including cuts such as Shorty The President's "No Peace", Joe Tex & U Black's "Standardization" and Junior Murvin's "Cool Out Son", it's a great introduction to the breadth of this producer's talents.

Of Dread's many albums, none surpasses the brilliance of 1979's Dread at the Controls [Trojan] and its legendary alternate version Dubwise (available on Dread's own label, also, you guessed it, named Dread at the Controls). Named for the trailblazing, four-and-a-half-hour radio show he helmed every week for two years on Kingston's JBC radio station between 1977 and 1979, these recordings are bona fide classics, worthy of a place in anyone's collection.

While Dread's broadcasts succeeded in bringing the energy and innovation of the dance to the airwaves, blending roots and dub 45s from his own extensive collection with proto-dancehall chat, custom jingles and futuristic sound effects, his departure from JBC as a result of the organisation's reluctance to grant him a primetime slot, despite occupying the island's No1 spot from day one, allowed him the chance to shine as a vocalist.

Backed by A-list musicians Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, and Earl "Bagga" Walker, the original version sees Dread sitting right at the centre, enigmatically toasting his way through a mesmerizing selection of riddims. Meanwhile, the dub reinterpretation plays host to the immersive skills of King Tubby and Prince Jammy. Along with Dread's own productions for artists including Junior Murvin, Eddie Fitzroy, and Keith Douglas, these records caught the attention of an audience that reached much further than Jamaican shores, resulting in his oft-quoted work with the Clash. Including the single "Bankrobber", part of the Black Market Clash mini-album and several tracks from the Sandinista! triple LP, these collaborations bridge the gap between two apparently incompatible worlds, blending spiky white rock with infectious basslines and dub's captivating mixology.

The effects of these landmark moments continue to be felt to this day and with two such great talents now lost to the world, it's especially important to recognize the impact of their contributions to global pop culture. However, given that both men leave behind legacies of sparkling music and generations of fans and musicians inspired by their work, there's little doubt that their influence will live on for many years to come.